KOCHI: The High Court has ordered a preliminary vigilance inquiry against investigating officer RY Rustom in the antiquities fraud case involving Monson Mavunkal. Justice K Babu's order was to investigate the allegation of taking bribe from the complainant.

Yakub Pura, who approached the police against Monson, filed a petition seeking an investigation. The proposal is to conduct the preliminary investigation without the prior permission of the government. The petitioner contends that the investigating officer asked him to transfer money as bribe to the accounts of KG Anumol and Liju John and did so. The petitioner also told the court that Kalamassery Crime Branch paid Rs 1 lakh to SI Sabu as requested by DySP Rustom.